of that which endureth to everlasting life.

confirmed: he came to inform me of his neighbour's death. I asked if the deceased had given any signs of a more spiritual state of mind.

He seemed to pray inwardly,' replied Elridge, but he scarcely spoke again after you left him. He may have fled to the Saviour in his last moments: the searcher of hearts is his judge.'

Alas! I thought, knowing as we do that we must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ, (2 Cor. v. 10.) it is a fearful thing to give our strength to the world, and the last moments of sickness and debility to God.

I was thinking last night,' said Elridge, 'what an awful lesson we may read in the history of our poor neighbour: his worldly difficulties all arose from want of examination, and a true knowledge of his affairs, and his debts went on accumulating : our spiritual state will be much the same, if we are not careful in self-examination and watchful in prayer. If we did not come daily to the fountain opened for sin and for uncleanness, (Zech. xiii. 1.) our offences would multiply most awfully against us.'

Our poor neighbour's increasing aversion to ascertain the amount of his debts the deeper they became, teaches us another valuable lesson,' observed Elridge, For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light lest his deeds should be reproved. (John iii. 20.) But in the Gospel, blessed be God, a man is taught to see the light, and to cry, Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the Lord. (Lam. iii. 40.) Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me and know my thoughts, and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. (Psalm cxxxix. 23, 24.) Then is fear dispelled; for he knows that the Saviour whom he has received into his heart by faith, is the propitiation for his sins. (1 John ii. 2.) and that there is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, (Rom. viii. 1,) for his blood cleanseth from all sin. (1 John i. 7.) We may indeed exclaim,' he continued,

THERE is a clear and precious gem,
Not brilliant like the star of day,
Yet cluster'd in that diadem,

Which owns not time's relentless way;
Its radiance sparkles from above,
Its earthly name-a sister's love!
Though orient pearls, by friendship strung,

Around thy brow are pendant;
And though by love's own finger hung,
One diamond shines resplendent;
Yet which that potent spell can prove,
That test which tries a sister's love?

'O to grace how great a debtor,
Daily I'm constrained to be;
May that grace break every fetter,
Which withholds my heart from thee.'

May such free and undeserved mercy lead us to walk more and more closely with God, and be diligent to the full assurance of hope unto the end; then shall we not be slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises. (Heb. vi. 11, 12.)

LOVE.

Blest was that spot which owned its power, That consecrated spot, where He, Whom the angelic host admire,

Indulged in sweet society,

And bade the stroke of death remove,
To sanctify a sister's love!

Bind on your heart this jewel rare,

Oh ye to whom this prize is given! Nor let rude hands your treasure tear, But hold it as the gift of heaven! Till death its shining worth improve, And angels crown a sister's love!

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THE natural state of the human soul is doubt; doubt as to God's character; doubt as to its own condition, and doubt as to its future state. In regard therefore, to the concerns of the soul, if there is any thought at all, peace cannot be enjoyed by those who are not "in Christ;" they may possess a temporary substitute for peace in indifference, or the false peace of selfrighteousness, which, like the wall described in the book of Ezekiel, with its daubing of untempered mortar, shall one day be cast down; but to one really anxious about the salvation of the soul, there can be no true peace but in believing in Jesus, the sinner's atonement, the sinner's righteousness, the sinner's advocate, the sinner's friend.

Doubt here, is, or ought to be excluded; it is our privilege to believe his word, and to rest in holy confidence that he will keep that which we in faith have committed to him, until that day when faith shall no longer be required to assure us that his " sheep shall never perish."

"My peace give I unto you," said the Saviour; that deep, that hidden peace, which, like the new name engraven on the white stone, no man knoweth save him that receiveth it;-that peace which renders the Christian a mystery to the world through which he moves.

There is this strange difference between the people of God and the people of the world, that the former have a second, a new life, which constitutes the meaning of their Lord's saying "They are not of the world, even as I am not

of the world; I pray not that thou wouldest take them out of the world." And as they have another life, they have also other prospects, other objects of desire, of love, of hope, of happiness.

The people of the world "have their portion in this life," and if amid its sundry chances and changes, that portion is made. bitterness, toil, pain, grief, desolation-it is their all, and they are miserable. The believer breathes another atmosphere, an atmosphere suited to that new life from which Adam fell, and which he has received again by being made a child of God, and an heir of heaven: his hopes, his affections, his prospects have a double nature, and if the earthly portion of these be disappointed, distressed, blighted, -he has not entrusted his whole store to the keeping of earth and so made shipwreck of peace; he cannot be miserable, he dare not call himself unhappy.

There is a life, a hidden life, the world knoweth not of, a "life hid with Christ in God," and in that life the soul is kept as in the hollow of the Almighty hand, and the sweet love of peace broods over it, and its still small voice is heard, giving assurance that the promise is fulfilled, "I will send you another comforter."

The outward life may be distressing, but the inner life can yet possess the sweet blessing of peace. Outward circumstances may indeed disturb the sweet broodings of that heavenly dove, but cannot banish it from a resting place which it is marvellous it

should choose, the heart of fallen, sorrowful man, a heart which is by nature as a cage of unclean birds, and is thus made a 66 temple of the Holy Ghost."

It is the Christian's duty to shun the circumstances which have this disturbing effect, to shrink from all that would rob us of that blessed peace which is more valuable than the gain of the whole world but is the Christian for this purpose, to go out of the world, to leave the common walks of life, and shun its business and labours, as incompatible with the preservation of the blessing he prefers to its gain? No; in whatsoever state he is called, let him therein abide, at least till providence calls him from it; and while in the most adverse outward circumstances, we can in our patience possess our souls, and feel that as the world gave not our peace, the world, until there be a surrender on our part, can never take it away. Nothing but sin can banish the peace of God from the soul, nothing but unbelief can prevent our enjoyment of it.

But earthly circumstances have sometimes much, too much power over the Christian: "perfect peace," is the portion of a mind stayed upon God." He is our rock, but the tempest-tossed vessel will sometimes slip her anchor; it is easier to trust God when we are receiving his favours, than when with Jacob, nature feels constrained to think all things are against us. Peace is in proportion to faith; strong faith produces great peace. "Great peace have they that love thy Law," says the Psalmist, "and nothing shall offend them" who love not only that holy law, written with the finger of God, but that universal law and government of God, by which the whole course of human life is guided, which ruleth all events, from the falling of a sparrow to the falling of empires, and ordereth all things,-the clothing of the lilies, and the allot

ment of all the circumstances of individual life; that wondrous law, by which the apparently complete machinery of human existence is silently overruled, they who love this law, who acknowledge in it a wisdom they cannot always comprehend, designs that are not always plain, and love which eternity alone shall reveal — these shall not be offended; shall not be disquieted and doubtful, even amid the clash of opposing circumstances, when the dealings of providence seem to run counter one to another, so that the very cause of congratulation to-day, is changed to a source of mourning to-morrow. Around these, may be a mystery, but a quieting influence is breathed over the mind in a silent acquiescence to the inquiry," Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?"

To trust God unreservedly,-to believe that under the most adverse and oppressing circumstances, when disappointment follows disappointment, and loss succeeds to loss, that "all things shall work together for good," just as different impediments, in themselves of disagreeable if not pernicious qualities, shall as a combination, present a safe, a nutricious or beneficial composition, to look up against a black and lowering cloud of mysterious providences, and say, "Why art thou cast down, O my soul? hope in God, for I shall yet praise him; what he does I know not now, but I shall know hereafter, therefore though he slay me, I will trust in him." Here is Peacepeace in believing.

Life is a tangled skein, to our eye an uncertain mote, but to the eye of Him with whom we have to do, all is clear; the intricate path is traced out for us, although we see it not; when we go astray we lose our peace, and who but the bereaved heart can tell the anguish of the loss? but then it has to look back to the Fountain

whence that peace flowed out, and in grief and humiliation to plead, "Wilt thou not revive us again that thy people may rejoice in thee." and steadfastly to resolve, "I will hear what God the Lord will speak, for he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints, but let them not turn again unto folly." Here then is that way of Peace which is secretly longed for by many, if not by most of mankind, but which is far above out of their sight, and they, looking at the things that are seen and not at those that are unseen, go astray; from youth to age desiring rest but finding none, until often in gloomy despondency, they think it is only

to be attained in the dust from whence they come, or still deluded by the uncertain rays of earthly hope, continue the pursuit till "their light is put out in obscure darkness."

Children of doubt, sorrow, disappointment, pain, restless enquirers after good, aspirers to happiness the world cannot give, or seeming to give can soon take away, to you is the word sent, "Acquaint now thyself with God and be at peace, thereby shall good come unto thee." To hold fast by God, to have a mind stayed upon God; a mind of submission,

a heart of faith: herein is the secret of a peace to which the troubled world is a stranger.

Give us then day by day, or give us this day, our daily bread ; in measure as it pleaseth Thee,~ give us a heart to trust thee for to-morrow's fare. He who hath so loved us as to give His Son for us, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? All things necessary for life and godliness; what is necessary is promisedbread shall be given thee, and thy water shall be sure: "having food and raiment, let us be therewith

content; why? "because it is written, Iwill never leave thee nor forsake thee." Oh! but it is hard to trust God and be at peace under such circumstances. It is hard, very hard; so hard that none can imagine it possible but they who have been called to feel it; therefore is the secret of the Lord with them that fear him; in the hour of need they shall fully experience that the world knoweth him not, but they know him: those only are truly to be pitied, who are in temporal want, in bodily pain, in earthly loneliness, without spiritual peace.

Thus hath Godliness the promise of this life and of that which is to come,—“ All is our's, for we are Christ's and Christ is God's." "The work of righteousness is peace, and the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance for ever; quietness in the midst of commotion, assurance amid all that would make us afraid;peace, over which, neither the circumstances of life, nor the terrors of death can prevail, "for the mountains shall depart, and the bills be removed, but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord." "The

Lord sitteth upon the flood; the restless, stormy flood of human life; a flood, which though it may seem like the Siloa, to go softly, a breeze can ruffle, and a "little matter" can lash into a storm, but He who walked on the waters of Galilee, he who slept amid the strife of elements, is the Prince of Peace; from him the disciples then had peace, in him his disciples now have peace; He “ iş the same, yesterday, to-day, and for ever." The Lord will give strength unto his people, the Lord will bless his people with peace."